Hope sprung eternal Friday when Hays Rebel Zane Lilljedahl nervously watched a shallow fly ball to left field drop between a pair of Westlake Chaparrals.

By the time he had sped down to first base, Lilljedahl’s teammates had already exploded out of the dugout to celebrate his walk-off RBI single that carried Hays to a wild 7-6, 10-inning come-from-behind victory over Westlake.

While it wasn’t the first time he’d been an late-inning hero, Lilljedahl cherished the ability to not on...